A total of 373 3-year-old Thoroughbreds, led by champion 2-year-old male Citizen Bull, were made eligible to this year’s Triple Crown series with a $600 early nomination payment that was due Jan. 27.

This year’s total represents a 7.8% increase from last year’s 346 early nominations. A record 69 Japan-based horses, trained by 33 different conditioners, were nominated, which shattered last year’s record of 47.

Sixty of the nominees have already won stakes races, including the top 10 point leaders on the Road to the Kentucky Derby: Citizen Bull, Speed King, Coal Battle, Burnham Square, Disco Time, Captain Cook, Built, Gaming, Getaway Car and Jonathan’s Way. The list also includes Grade 1 winners Chancer McPatrick and East Avenue.

CLICK HERE: See the full list of Triple Crown nominees on BloodHorse

Citizen Bull (BENOIT photo)

The nominations feature several of the sport’s top conditioners, led by Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, who has 32 horses nominated. Other leading trainers include Bob Baffert (21), Brad Cox (14), Chad Brown (13) and Kenny McPeek (12).

The Triple Crown will begin with the 151^st running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve May 3 over 1 ¼ miles at Churchill Downs. The series continues with the $2 million Preakness Stakes at 1 3/16 miles May 17 at Pimlico Race Course, and concludes with the $2 million Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course over 1 ¼ miles June 7.

Early Triple Crown Nominees by the Numbers

$3,200,000 – Highest-priced public auction purchase: Barnes (2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale).

$1,421,000 – Highest lifetime earnings: Citizen Bull

268 Kentucky-bred nominees, the most of any state or country. Others: Japan (54), Florida (14), New York (11), Maryland (9), Louisiana (4), Pennsylvania (3), Ontario (2), Virginia (2), California (1), France (1), Iowa (1), Ireland (1), Ohio (1) and West Virginia (1).

181 bay-colored horses. Other colors: Dark bay/brown (89), chestnut (69), gray/roan (30), gray (4).

146 trainers with horses nominated to the Triple Crown.

60 stakes winners nominated.

32 horses nominated from trainer Todd Pletcher’s barn, followed by Bob Baffert (21), Brad Cox (14), Chad Brown (13) and Kenny McPeek (12).

21 horses sired by Into Mischief , the most of any stallion. Others: Not This Time (14), Nyquist (13), Constitution (11), Curlin (11), Gun Runner (11) and Uncle Mo (11).

20 geldings nominated.

Seven fillies nominated: Beauty Reigns (trainer Bill Mott), Mistress (Yoshito Yahagi), Necessity (Norm Casse), Promised Gene (Yuki Uehara), Queen’s Chocolat (Koichi Shintani), Velvet Devil (Mike Tomlinson) and Vilja Lied (Masayuki Nishimura).

Three ridglings nominated.

May 29, 2022 – Latest foal among nominees: Gunmetal.

Jan. 8, 2022 – Earliest foal among nominees: Promised Gene.

Three-year-olds not nominated during the early phase can still join the Triple Crown trail by making a late payment of $6,000 by April 7, at www.thetriplecrown.com.

Thirteen horses have swept the Triple Crown: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), Affirmed (1978), American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018).